Under CPA, affordable housing is not 40B housing

On April 3, at this year’s municipal election, we have the opportunity to vote to enact the Community Preservation Act (CPA) for our town. Enacting the CPA would give us the ability to establish a fund for the purposes of purchasing land for open space and recreation; rehabilitating and preserving our historic sites; and providing affordable community housing. These “CPA dollars” should go much further due to a state match (current state match is approximately 25 percent).

One of the most frequently asked questions about the affordable housing portion of CPA is, “Does that mean 40B housing?” No, it does not mean 40B housing; in fact, it means quite the opposite. While housing built under the 40B provision of the MGL takes oversight and control away from the town, development of affordable housing with CPA money gives the town complete oversight. Canton would determine the building site, how many units, how affordable, what designation (senior, veteran), and the building design. Money designated for community housing can also be used to rehabilitate existing housing. For example, the town most recently paid $60,000 for a ramp to the Hemenway senior housing building, which could have been paid for more efficiently with CPA-matched dollars.

We do not own or manage any affordable housing units in town, including senior housing, and that would still be the case. CPA funds would be used to partner with non-profit and for-profit developers to develop affordable housing under our terms, allowing us to create more housing for our seniors, veterans, and municipal employees. For an average of about $44 per year, we can be the architects of our future.